1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to animal pelt stretching and drying devices and more specifically to such devices that are adjustable for use with differently sized animal pelts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pelt stretching and drying devices have been long known in the art and a wide variety of types of designs have been disclosed for such devices. Typically, known devices have either been formed from wood, or from metal; for example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,169,145; 1,755,118; 3,301,028 and Re. 16,434.
To eliminate the need to have a stretcher for each size of animal pelt to be processed, it is also been known in the art to provide devices that can be adapted to be used with differently sized pelts. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,169,145 and 1,755,118 stretching devices are disclosed that include structures for changing the configuration of the top ends of the stretchers to make them usable with differently sized animals, and an adjustable cross member is employed that can be varied in its distance from the top portion thereof. Although the above-described prior art devices provide some flexibility in the size of pelt that can be processed, they are relatively complex in construction and do not appear to provide for processing a wide range of pelt sizes.
The present invention provides an improved pelt stretching and drying device that can be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of pelt sizes and yet is relatively simplified in construction and adjustability.